Thundershrike

A tremendous winged shadow falls from a huge raptor with a wingspan the length of four horses. Its ebon feathers gleam majestically, streaked with patterns of gray and brown. Its golden beak is tipped with white.

A thundershrike is an eagle-like raptor, perhaps in some way related to rocs, with a wingspan of upwards of 40 feet. Riding the winds with its massive wings spread wide, the thundershrike is thought by some cultures to be a herald of the gods of the thunderstorms. Thundershrikes are often found in the company of storm giants.

Thundershrikes get their name from their habit of taking to the air during powerful storms. Wind and rain follow the wings of a thundershrike. Often worshipped by barbarians and other wilderness dwellers, the thundershrikes are a proud species that view all that they survey as their territory. Although they keep their nests in isolated aeries in the high mountains, thundershrikes can range several hundred miles in search of food.

Thundershrikes mate for life, and females usually lay a clutch of 2d4 eggs in the spring. The eggs hatch in the late summer during the height of the storm season. Young remain in the nest for several months before venturing out on their own in the world.

Unless it is on the hunt, a thundershrike is content to ride the winds and generally leave other creatures alone. If hunting, the thundershrike attacks any creature of Large or smaller size that appears tasty.

A thundershrike opens combat with its lightning bolts before swooping or diving at a foe. It rarely lands during melee, preferring to attack from the air, using its spell-like abilities, and its Snatch and hover to pick up and separate multiple foes. Female or mated thundershrikes will fight to the death to defend their nest or young.